Station-indicator.



C. S. MACKEARNIN.

STATION INDIOATOR.

APPLIOATION rILED APB.. 21, 1009.

Patented June 9, 1914.

4 SHBETS-BEEET 1.

ZI :L l

PARK ST COLUIIIA WM :@mmm IL C. S. MACKBARNIN.

STATION INDIGATOR.

APPLIOATION PILED APB. 21, 1900.

.1,099,386, Patented June 9,1914.

4 SEEETB-SEEE T 2.

IS' --l 2 &wo/Mot harlemMmnn x u M, %WM

I c. s. MACKBARNIN.

STATION INDICATOR. APPLIGA'TION PILBD APR. 21, 1909.

. 1,099,386. Patented June 9, 1914,

Emma/tom Che-( las &mmm

union.

CHARLES SwMACKEARNIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STATION-INDICATOR.

Speeificaton of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1914:.

' Application filed Apri121, 1909. Serial No. 491385.

To all whom it may cancer n Be it known that I, CHARLES S. MAC- KEABNIN, a citizen of the United States, residng at Boston, in, the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have inventecl certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indicators for passenger cars and the like and more particularly to eleetrically controlled indicators.

The primar-y object of my invention is to provide a Construction of this class which can be operated at the will of the conductor or trainman and in which the indicating band may be reversed when desired.

Another object is to provide an indicator which may be Suspended from the center ot' the top of the car and in which the street indications will appear upon both sides thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved Construction of mounting for the sign carrying rollers or cylinders whereby they may be readily removed when desired.

A further object is to provide a new and novel mechanism whereby ro tary movement may be intermittently imparted to the rollers.

A still further object is to provide a suitable system of transmission gearing by means of which power is taken from the motor shai't and utilized to revolve the roller-s.

WVith these and other objects in View, the present invention consists in the combinetion and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes in the spe eific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numer-als of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved indicator showing the same Secured to the roof of a railway car, Fig. 2 is a similar View, the side of the casing being removed, Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3, of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is an end elevation, the casingbeing shown in sec-- tion Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the starting or stopping mechanism, Fig. 6 is a similar view of one end of the looking bolt, Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailecl perspec tive View showing the coupling employed between the rollers and the Operating shaft. F ig. 8 is a detail sectional View of one end of the detachable shutt. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View showing the manner in which the eircuit is controlled for operating the several parts.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates a substantially rectangular casing, in which are suitably Secured the skeleton frame platcs 2. In these platcs are mounted. the motor shaft 3 and the roller shafts 4 and 5 on either side of the shai't 3. The ends of the latter shafts are provided with sleeves 6 which are tubular for the greater portion of their length, and in which are provided longitudinally extcnding, diametrically opposed slots 8. The slecves 6 are adjustable upon the shafts l an( 5 and may be Secured in their adjusted positions by means of the set screws 7. Rollers 9 of substantially the same diameter as the shafts 4 and 5, are provided with lug's or trunnions 11 which engage in the slots 8. Upon the rollcrs 9 are endless transparent hands 12 upon which are printed the names of the streets or other designating characters. These bands are securely held against any horizontal move ment by the shoulder-510' formed in the ends of the rolls by the enlargements 10.

In one end of the easing I provide a reversible electric motor 13, from which the shaft 3 extends throughout the entire length of the casing and carries at its end the worm 14, which meshes with the worm 'ears 15, horizontally disposed upon the shafts 16 mounted in bearings 10' Secured to the frame plate 2. At either end of the shaft 16 are secured the beveled gears 17 which mesh with similar gears 18 Secured to the longitudinal shafts 4. and 5. to the ends of which as previously described are eoupled the rollers 9.

Upon the operation of the motor` mction will be transmitted through the train of gears and a rotarv movement thus inparted to said roller-s. At one side of the hand 12 and adapted to rotate with the roller& are Secured upon the shai'ts 4 and 5 the spools 19, to which either end of a perforatcd tane 20 is attached, which moves over guide rol]- ers 21 suitably supported upon the frame plate 2. Supported upon one oi" the frame plates 2 is a suitable box or receptacle 22 adapted to contain the electromaghet 23.

Extending inwardly toward the center of` the casing is the bracket 24 pr t'iied with bearings 25, in which is mounted the reciprocating looking bolt 26. The outer end of this looking bolt carries the contact plate 27 whichis disposed within the receptacle 22 and is adapted to be retracted by the magnets 23 when the circuit is completed;

Between the bearings 25 and surrounding the bolt 26 is a spiral spring 28 which returns the bolt to its normal position when the current is broken. Secured upon an insulating collar 29 is one contact member 30 of' a knife switch, the other member 31 being formed upon one of-the bearings 25. These switch points are in insulated sections and are provided with binding posts 32 and 32respectively. Extendingfrom the binding post 32' is a wire 33' leading to the ground or other suitable source of return, and from the binding post 32 extends the wire 33 leading to one leg of the reversing switch 37. In the outer end of the looking bolt 26 is mounted a roller 34 which is designed to bear against the tape 20 and hold the switch closed. An extension is formed upon one of the plates 2 and surrounds the shaft 3, the extension having a face plate provided with a socket, which socket is arranged to receive the end of the bolt 26 when one of the perforations in the tape registers therewith thus breaking the the magnets 23 with the ground or other source of returnis the wire 38". Leading from one of the legs of the switch 37 'and connecting the same with a battery or any other suitable electric source of power is the wire A, and the wire 33 connects the other leg of the switch with the ground or other suitable. source of return. Positioned at one side of the switch 37 are contacts 39 and 4:0 for closing a circuit to run the motor 13 in one direction, and arranged at the other side of the switch are contacts 39 and 40' for closing a circuit to run the motor in the reverse direction i As before stated the motor 13 employed` is of such a design as to be reversed in action when th current of electricity is imparted thereto in two different directions, and as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings the switch lever 37 is pivotally connected and to one leg of it is attached the main feed sup- 'ply wire A connected to any suitable source of power. By depressing the push button 38 while the lever 37 is in the'position as shown in Fig. 9, the electromagnet will be energized and withdraw the bolt 26 from its engaging position with the tape in a manner previously described, after which the* switch lever is turned in either direction or in contact with either of the contacts 39 and 10 depending entirely in which direction it is desired to rotate the electric motor. It will be understood that the switch 37 comprises two blades, one of which contacts with either 39 or 40, connecting such points with the terminal of wire 33, and the other of which is adapted to contact with either 39' or 40', connecting such points with the lead A. When the switch lever 37 is turned to' the right (Fig. 9) to contact with the contact points 39' and 40, the current of electricity will pass from the main supply wire A to the lever 37 and to the line wire 39 to one pole of the motor, the current of electricity thus conducted passing through the connecting wire 40" to the switch 37 and thence through the wire 33 to the binding post 32 of the switch member 30 and to the other member 31 of the switch to the corre-,

sponding binding post 32' to the wire 33' to ground or other source of return, thus completing the circuit and causing the said moverse the rotation of the motor 13, the switch lever` 37 is brought into contact with the contact points 39 and 40 whereby the current of electricity is conducted to theopposte pole of the electric motor by the wire 40" and V passes from the motor by the wire 39" to the switch 37 and through the wire 33 to the binding post 32 of the contacting memlOC bers 30 and 31 and conducted to the ground e wire 33' in a manner previously described.

While I have shown an indicator which may be Suspended in the center of a car and observed from either side thereof, it will be understood that the same may be made SO that the indications will appear upon but one side thereof, when it is desired to secure the same in either end of the car.

My improved indicator is simple in construction, extremely easy to operate, and positive in its action. The parts may be readily assembled and will withstand a great amount of wear, thus producing a device, which will be of great commercial Value and public benefit. Any approved means may be employed for securing the indicator in the car, and I have shown for this pur pose the rods 41 extending vertically through the casing at each corner thereof, and provided at `one of their ends with the securing nut 4:1'. The rods extended through any convenient portion of the car ceiling and the nuts 41' will'securely sustain the indicator in position. The casing and frame pla'tes would preferably be constructed of sheet metal and the other parts being of small proportions, a very light and comi pact construction is Secured, the cost of manisi ufacture is also thereby reduced to a minimum.

And having thus described my said inventon, what I claim as new and desre to secure by United States Letters Patent is An, indicator of the class described comprsng a pair of rollers, an indicating band adapted to be alternately wound on and unwound from said rollers, a reversible electrc motor connected to operate said rollers, motor circuits connected with a suitable source of electrcal energy for supplying current to said motor, a hand controlled reversing switch for oontrolling said circuits, a tape connected to move in synchronism with said indicating band and having perforatons at intervals, a spring-pressed bolt adapted to enter said perforations, a switch included in said motor circuits and having its movable member connected to said bolt, an electromagnet for retracting said bolt, a crcuit including a source of electrc energy for encrgizing said magnet, and a push button carried by the reversng switch and included in said last named crcuit, substantally as described.

In testimon whcreof I affix my signature, in presence o two witnesses.

CHARLES S. MACKEARNIN. Witnesses:

FRED FAN WODELL, HENRY BRYANT BUoK.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

